December 10, 2020

Finding an Aerostar

I located the almost perfect match, but it’s all the way across the country, in Colorado.

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January 20, 2021

Transport to New York

Cross-country auto transport is a nightmare, but the Aerostar is on the way, I think.

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February 12, 2021

Stolen!

Apparently my mom isn’t the only one who wants to hoard this mid-90s metal box for themselves.

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February 25, 2021

Transport to New York, Again.

Two months and five auto transport companies later, with the help of the police and a locksmith, it’s here.

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March 20, 2021

Tie Rods, CV Boots, and Brakes

An initial batch of fixes made the Aerostar road ready and reliable (I think), and hopefully there won’t be too many more.

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March 21, 2021

Broken Gear Shifter

This ugly broken thing was driving me crazy.

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April 2, 2021

Headlights, Grille, and Signals

Updating the face of the car with all new headlights, signals, and grille.

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April 10, 2021

Faded Exterior Trim and Mirrors

Trying to save my pennies and refinish the little stuff in my garage with some spray cans.

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April 16, 2021

Scuffed, Dirty, and Loose Interior Panels

Using some magic to try to restore the color and placement of the interior panels.

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April 17, 2021

Leaky Windows

The story of two, maybe three, leaky windows that help the car smell nice and musty.

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April 30, 2021

Musty and Dirty Seats

That scent from years of water dripping into the car is a special one.

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May 8, 2021

Touchscreen Stereo

Because my parents needed another computer to ask me to fix every couple months.

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May 8, 2021

Stained Carpet

I really didn’t want to deal with this carpet. It’s most definitely one of the areas of the car in the poorest condition. Did you know...

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May 27, 2021

Color Conversion

The time has come to turn the brown beater into the green goblin.

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June 18, 2021

Stress Testing

A small series of non-scientific tests to see if the car actually works for longer than a 5 minute drive.

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September 22, 2021

Valve Cover Gasket, Rotors, and A/C

A smoking engine causes a panicked return to the auto mechanic!

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October 2, 2021

Rear Audio and Climate Control Upgrade

Making use of a dirty, broken, and now obsolete feature in the back seats.

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October 21, 2021

Shocks

Why is the car squeaking?

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October 29, 2021

Alarm System and Backup Camera

Because you have to be able to unlock the doors with a remote in 2021…

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November 2, 2021

Torn Driver’s Seat

Miraculously, this 1996 had no tear in any of the seats, except for this one important seat, but is it worth repairing?

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November 3, 2021

Center Console

The center console was sticky and filthy, and sat in my basement for almost a year before I refurbished it.

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November 4, 2021

Final Touches

Just about ready to hand the car over, but first a few final important details.

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November 10, 2021

Broken Sliding Door Latch

Of course, one more crisis!

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November 10, 2021

Before and Afters

Now that the van is done, it’s time to reflect on some comparison photos to see what it’s become.

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November 15, 2021

The Reveal

It was totally unexpected and shocking. Lots of F bombs were dropped.

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